88.3%
Ford Sierra
Ford Sierra MOT pass rate and common problems
The Ford Sierra passed 88.3% of its initial MOT tests in 2025, 16 percentage points above the 72.3% UK average. The item testers recorded most often was component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength.
Checking a specific car? Its own results, advisories and recorded mileages are in a free MOT history check.
How the Sierra compares
Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded. A car that failed and was repaired at the test station counts as a fail.
68.8%
Ford average
72.3%
UK average, all cars
The Sierra runs 19.5 points ahead of the Ford average. It is 3rd of the 27 Ford models in the data. The average Sierra arrived at its test 35.9 years old with 52,297 miles recorded.
A pass rate records whether cars met the roadworthiness standard on test day. It is not a reliability score, and part of any gap reflects how old the tested cars were.
Sierra MOT pass rate by age
The same 2025 tests split by the car's age at test.
| Age at test | Tests | Pass rate | vs UK average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 years and over | 2,592 | 88.3% | 16 pts above |
Every Ford Sierra tested in 2025 was aged 11 years and over, so there is no other age group to compare with. The UK average of 72.3% covers cars of every age, so compare like with like.
Where Sierra failures cluster
Every failure item recorded on Ford Sierra cars in 2025, grouped into the DVSA's test areas.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and brakes together account for 41.3% of recorded failure items. These are recorded failures across the model, not faults every car has.
The 10 most common Sierra MOT failures
Specific items recorded on Ford Sierra cars that failed their 2025 MOT, as a share of all recorded failure items.
Together these 10 items make up 29.2% of everything testers recorded against failed Ford Sierra cars. The rest is spread across many smaller items, and one failed test often records several at once.
What to look at on a Sierra
The recorded failures above, grouped by area, biggest first.
1
Suspension
Recorded most often: component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength. 5.9% of failure items.
2
Visibility
Recorded most often: wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively and washers provides insufficient washer liquid. 5.1% of failure items.
3
Body, chassis, structure
Recorded most often: integral vehicle structure condition corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced and joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt. 4.6% of failure items.
4
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Recorded most often: stop lamp not working and horn not working. 4.6% of failure items.
The car's own MOT history matters more than any model average. A free MOT history check shows whether a specific Sierra has failed on these items before, or had them noted as advisories. Buying one? See the used Ford Sierra buying guide.
Already found one?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Ford Sierra MOT FAQs
What is the Ford Sierra MOT pass rate?
88.3% of Ford Sierra cars passed their initial MOT first time in 2025, from 2,592 tests. That is 16 percentage points above the 72.3% average for all cars, and ranks 63rd of 575 models.
What does a Ford Sierra most commonly fail its MOT on?
The item testers recorded most often on Ford Sierra cars failing their 2025 MOT was component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength, on 5.9% of failure items. Next were non catalyst emissions emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (4.1%) and prescribed areas prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced (2.8%).
Which area causes the most Ford Sierra MOT failures?
Across every recorded failure item, the largest area was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment at 26.2%, followed by brakes at 15.1%.
Does this mean every Ford Sierra has these problems?
No. These are the items testers recorded across every Ford Sierra that failed in 2025. They show where the model most often needs attention, not the condition of any individual car.
How do I see a specific Ford Sierra's MOT history?
Enter its registration on the free Carpeep MOT history check to see that car's own test results, failures, advisories and recorded mileages.
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025: class 4 initial tests, retests excluded, with failure items from failed tests (advisories and minor defects excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.